


The Wish

by Neila_Nuruodo



Category: Star Wars Legends - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-10-11 15:00:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10467717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neila_Nuruodo/pseuds/Neila_Nuruodo
Summary: A girl from Earth is given the chance to prevent Grand Admiral Thrawn's death. Self insert...with a twist.





	1. Chapter 1

The Wish

 

Disclaimer:  Star Wars belongs to Lucasfilms, not me.  The only thing that’s mine is the OC (and really, if they want her they can have her too.)  I don’t make any money from this nonsense.  The short story "The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs is the inspiration for the titular wish.

 

Chapter 1

 

The bell rang, signaling the end of classes for the summer.  I grabbed my bag, already packed and set to go, and swung it onto my shoulder as I stood, following my classmates as they pressed eagerly toward the door.  Once the crowding had thinned out I slipped into the hallway, humming a snatch of a song I’d heard on the radio recently.  An interminable two minutes later I was finally out in the parking lot.  I looked around until I spotted my friend Carly’s car.

Her parents were fairly rich, so she got to drive their cast-off Lexus whenever they bought a new one.  It may not have been the newest model, but it was still a sweet ride.  I would be totally jealous, but she wasn’t stuck up about it at all, and she gave me a ride almost every day since the best vehicle my parents could afford to get me was a bicycle.

Okay, maybe I was a little jealous.

I slid into the front seat and dropped my backpack between my feet.  “Free at last,” I joked.

She smiled, looking over her shoulder as she backed out carefully.  “I didn’t get a chance to ask you earlier,” she said.  “Did your parents decide if you could come over to the beach house this summer?”

I grinned.  “Yup.  I finally broke them down.  I’m heading over tomorrow morning.”

She beamed at my proclamation.  “I can’t wait!  This is going to be the best summer ever!”  She stopped, her attention drawn to driving, then resumed conversation once we were safely on the highway.  “Do you want a ride over tomorrow?”

“Nah, it’s not that far.  I’ll ride my bike—that way I’ll have it around in case I want it.”

She nodded.  “Smart.”

We drove in silence, Carly fiddling with the radio in an attempt to find some good music.

“So how did classes go for you this year?”

“Well, history’s always a struggle,” I said, grimacing.  “I think I managed to scrape a B- out of it.  If not, well, good thing I won’t be home when the report cards come in the mail.”

She laughed at that, looking happy and carefree, and I remembered that she’d been concerned about her own grades.

“How about you?  Algebra, wasn’t it, you were worried about?”

She got very quiet for a moment, long enough for me to feel bad that I’d asked.  “I passed.”

“That’s great,” I enthused, my reaction more chipper than I’d intended in my surprise.  I had been sure she was going to say she’d failed.

She didn’t respond for several seconds, then said slowly, as though the words were being wrung from her, “I wouldn’t have passed if it weren’t for a wish.”

Now that just seemed crazy.  Carly wasn’t one for mystic mumbo-jumbo.  “I don’t understand.”

She dug one-handed in her purse and pulled out something that looked like a tiny, withered-up hand.  “One of my dad’s friends gave it to him.  He said that it would grant you a wish, just one.  But you had to be careful about what you wished for.  Of course, my dad didn’t believe it, but I was desperate.  You know I’ve been studying my butt off, and I was still failing.  I figured it was worth a try.”

She turned to glance at me, her face abruptly turning radiant.  “And it worked!  I can see you don’t believe me,” she added with a knowing smile.  She hesitated, then pushed the strange object into my hands.  “Here, you should try it.  Wish for a boyfriend or something,” she suggested, grinning wickedly.

“I can’t take this,” I protested, trying to give it back.  “Isn’t it your dad’s anyway?”

“Oh, come on.  He only took it to be polite.  I want you to have it,” she said.  “You’re my best friend.”

That quieted me down.  A few years ago, there had been a strange incident in her family.  Her mom had disappeared, and everyone figured her dad had done it.  Pretty much all of her “friends” disappeared overnight.  I was the only person to stay beside her and help her through the uncertainty and turmoil.  About two weeks later, her mom had gotten away from the crazy guy who had kidnapped her, her dad was cleared, and all her old friends began to trickle back.  But she never forgot that I had stood by her.

“Besides,” she was saying, “you don’t really need help with school or anything.  You could just wish for something impossible and see if it really works.”  She smirked at me.  “That would appeal to your scientific mind, wouldn’t it?”

I gave her a rueful smile in return.  “You know me too well.”  I tucked the freaky little talisman into the top pouch of my backpack.  “Fine, I’ll take it.  I’ll let you know what happens, too.”  I shrugged.  “I know how hard you were studying.  I don’t think you needed the help to pass.”

“We’ll see,” she said serenely.  “So how are you planning to bring all your summer clothes on your bike?”

I opened my mouth and paused.  I hadn’t thought that far ahead, to be honest, since my parents had only made the final decision last night.  After they agreed that I could go, I’d spent more time than I should have packing, staying up late to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything.

She looked at me with a twinkle in her eye as she stopped the car in front of my house.  “You’ve already packed, haven’t you?”

I nodded mutely, not sure if I wanted to tell her that I’d looked at my suitcase in satisfaction and checked my bike’s tires and brakes without ever realizing the problem.

“Just throw your suitcase in the trunk now, dummy.  I’ll bring it with me and meet you there.”

I threw myself across the console to give her a spontaneous hug.  “You sell yourself way short, Carly.  You’re a lot smarter than I am!”

She laughed and hugged me back.  “You’ve got the book smarts, and I’ve got the street smarts,” she said, quoting our old joke.

I grinned as I hopped out of the car and ran inside to get my suitcase.

\------ 

I savored the feel of the wind streaming through my hair as I pedaled my bicycle down the country road.  I wasn’t the biggest fan of exercise, but the feeling of freedom, almost of flying, when pedaling full-out was worth the burn in my thighs.

_Plus,_ I thought, _I want to look good in my swimsuit this summer.  Maybe I should do this sort of thing more often._

I breathed the fresh, clean air, and my mind wandered to the idea of the “wish” waiting for me.  _Something impossible, eh?_   I ran through possibilities, discarded some, compared others.  By the time I got to the Kavichsky family summer home, I had an idea.

I left my bike leaning against the porch railing and knocked on the door.  Carly opened it and hugged me.

“How was your ride?” she asked as she led me into the house.

“Pretty nice.  Good thing it didn’t rain today or I’d be scrambling around trying to come up with another plan.”

“Thinking ahead really isn’t your strong suit, is it?”  She opened a door into a beautiful bedroom.  “This one’s all yours.”

I looked around in wonder as I stepped in.  Carly made to leave, but I grabbed her hand and pulled her in after me, shutting the door behind me.

“What’s up?” she asked, curiosity simmering behind her eyes.

I was still wearing a backpack with all my toiletries and a few changes of clothes, so I slipped it off and set it on the floor as I went to sit on the bed.

“I was thinking about that wishing thing you gave me.”

Her eyes lit with excitement.  “Have you decided what to wish for?”

“I think so,” I said, feeling nervous.  “I wanted to know what you think.”

“Let’s hear it.”

I took a deep breath.  “Well, you know how I’m a huge Star Wars nerd, right?”

She nodded, grinning.

“Well, I didn’t tell you because I’m totally embarrassed about it, but I’ve got a crush on one of the characters.”

She laughed lightly at that.  “Ellie, you are so adorable.”

I dropped my eyes, my face warm.  “Yeah, well, his name is Thrawn, and he’s super smart and badass, and, well, really hot.”  I looked back up at her, my chagrin quickly shoved out by my excitement.  “But he gets killed in the books.  I want to see if I can save him.”

She gave me a sly look.  “And maybe in return for saving his life, he’ll make out with you!”

My blush returned full force.  “Well, I wouldn’t complain,” I mumbled.

She laughed in delight.  “I think that’s brilliant,” she said.  “And rather impossible, too.”  She ran off and returned with a notepad and pen.  “Let’s just make sure you get it right, now.  We don’t need you fumbling it and ending up stuck there.”

Together we hashed out the details, finally coming up with a short list of conditions.

 

  * Travel to the Star Wars universe
  * Set in motion the events necessary to prevent Thrawn from dying as written in _The Last Command_
  * Return to Earth in a timely fashion (three months or less)



 

We both looked it over one last time and declared it good.  Carly so obviously believed it would work that I almost didn’t want to do it now, didn’t want to see the disappointment on her face when nothing happened.

_Oh well, we’re gonna have a great summer together.  She’ll forget all about it soon enough._

I took a deep breath, holding the piece of paper with my cues in one hand and digging out the weird talisman from my bag with the other.  I glanced at Carly, who made a “get on with it” gesture.

“I wish,” I said slowly, “that I could travel to the Star Wars galaxy, set in motion the events necessary to prevent Thrawn from dying the way he does in _The Last Command,_ and return home—to Earth,“ I clarified hastily, “within three months or less.”

For a long second, Carly and I just stared at each other, waiting.  Just when I decided it hadn’t worked, there was a soft sound like a gust of air.  Our heads turned as one to the corner of the room, where a roiling sphere of cloudy darkness taller than me had popped into existence.

I felt all the blood drain out of my face. _No way._

Carly gave a muted shriek of excitement.  “It worked,” she hissed.

“Yeah,” I said, stunned.  She poked me, startling me out of my reverie.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Go!”

I grabbed my backpack, glad I had been prepared for an overnight stay, then glanced back at my friend.  “Will you be all right all summer without me?”

She waved her hands to shoo me, grinning.  “Only if you tell me everything.  And I mean _everything._   Don’t worry, I’ll hide your bike and cover for you.”

I ran back to give her a quick squeeze.  “You’re the best friend ever.  Wish me luck.”

“Only the good kind,” she said, and I stepped into the roiling, stormy mass.


	2. The Wish

By the time the portal—or whatever it was—spat me out, I was thoroughly disoriented and dizzy to boot.  Gravity seized me mercilessly, dumping me on the ground.  For a second I just lay there, enjoying the sensations of mass and gravity that I’d always so foolishly taken for granted.

Finally I dragged in a deep breath and opened my eyes.  _Come on, Ellie, you’ve got a grand admiral to save._   I levered myself to my feet, looking around as I did.  I was in a small room furnished with a couch and a bookshelf.  It was tastefully decorated in a subdued style, with a strange landscape painting on the wall and an artsy lamp at one end of the couch.

Intrigued, I stepped closer to the painting, trying to figure out why it seemed off to me.  Suddenly there was a sharp tug at my scalp and I found myself pinned against the wall.

“Hey,” I yelped indignantly, then swallowed the rest of my tirade as I felt cool metal come to rest against my temple.  Careful not to move my head, I rolled my eyes to the side, glimpsing a blaster out of the corner of my vision.

I’m not ashamed to admit that, for a few seconds at least, I was more excited about seeing a real, actual blaster than I was scared that it was pointed at my head.

“Who are you?” demanded a cold male voice from directly behind me.

“Um, I’m Elizabeth Ravelle.”  _Stupid,_ I berated myself.  _No one here knows who you are._   “Um, I’m looking—“

“You will not speak except to answer my questions,” interrupted the man behind me, and I nearly swallowed my tongue in my haste to stop talking.  The pull on my hair released, and I breathed a silent sigh of relief.  I heard a click and a quiet, tinny voice, too low for me to understand what it was saying.

“I have an intruder in my home,” said the man, as calmly as if he were ordering lunch.  “I have her subdued.  Send a retrieval team at once.”  The quiet voice spoke again, followed by another click and then silence.

I wondered suddenly if the man behind me could be Thrawn.  _Would the portal really dump me in his living room?_

Whoever he was, he began issuing me instructions.  “I am moving back, but my blaster is still trained on you.  If you make any sudden moves, I will shoot you.  If you turn around, I will shoot you.  If you don’t comply immediately with my orders, I will shoot you.  Do you understand?”

I nodded vigorously, afraid to speak.

“Good.  Remove the pack from your shoulders, slowly, and set it down to the side as far away as you can reach.”

 _Which side?_ I wondered hysterically as I let the straps slide off my shoulder.  Being right-handed, I decided to go with the right side.  It seemed like the thing to do.

“Now take a step to your left.”  I did.  “Get on your knees.”

 _Really, is this necessary?_ I grumbled mentally as I complied.  I crossed my ankles and laced my hands together on top of my head at his command, then he began questioning me.

“How did you get in here?”

“I don’t know.”  I winced.  _That’s not gonna cut it.  I’d better come up with a convincing story post-haste._   “I mean, I don’t know how the, um, portal technology works.”

“Portal,” said the man, skepticism and humor warring in his voice.  “Please, do go on.  Dig your grave as deep as you like.”

 _Oh, come on!  The portal bit is actually true!_   I took a deep breath, organizing my ideas.  “I work for a group of beings who, uh, police the timeline.  I mean, they take people who are going to die and make sure they live.  Or, you know, make sure certain people meet each other, or find important information at the right time.”  I was proud of myself for coming up with such a creative story on the fly; it actually sounded like a pretty awesome place to work.

“Right,” he said, irony heavy in his voice.  “So you work for this powerful group, but you don’t know how the technology operates.  Fascinating.”

Whoever this was, he was starting to really annoy me.  “Look, it’s something of a family business,” I growled, “and this is my first mission.  How about you cut me some slack?”

He chuckled, but it wasn’t the kind of laugh that made you feel relaxed.  It was more like the way you laugh when someone is looking at their cell phone and walking straight toward a telephone pole or a fountain.

“So tell me then, what are you here to do?”

 _Finally._   “My mission is to find Grand Admiral Thrawn and prevent his death.”

There was a moment of thoughtful silence.  “I can’t say I know who that is.”

 _Damn, so much for it being that easy,_ I thought darkly.

“Grand Admiral, you say?  Is that above a regular Admiral, then?”

I started to panic quietly.  _What if I’m in the wrong place?  Or the wrong time?  It’s not like I can just hop on over to the next universe!_

“I’m not sure what to tell you,” he continued.  “You may find your mission rather difficult to complete, as I don’t believe that rank exists, let alone this ‘Thrown’ you’re searching for.”

I felt my shoulders slump.  _He doesn’t even know the name.  What am I going to do?_

I heard a beep from behind me and fought not to turn my head reflexively.

“Yes?”  I was pretty sure this wasn’t directed at me.

Sure enough, the same barely audible voice as before said something I couldn’t hear.

“Hold your commlink to the speaker.”  A pause.  “Voice override.”  Those words were followed by a long phrase in some lilting, musical language I’d never heard before.

In the distance I could hear footsteps, lots of them, coming closer.

“In here,” came the calm voice of my captor.  “Now, you—Elizabeth—slowly put your hands behind your back.”

I did, and seconds later the tread of numerous feet and an odd clanking filled the room.  I felt handcuffs snap onto my wrists, and I was hauled roughly to my feet and turned around.

I felt my eyes go wide as I saw the man who had pinned me to the wall—the only one not in stormtrooper armor.  He was wearing charcoal slacks and a black turtleneck instead of a uniform, but with that pale blue skin, blue-black hair, and those unmistakable glowing red eyes, it could only be Thrawn.

“You—“ I sputtered, so furious I could barely speak.  “Thrawn, you, you—“  He raised an eyebrow, expression faintly amused.  “You lied to me!” I finally managed.

“Did I?” he said, and I ground my teeth together in frustration.  “You seem so sure that I’m the one you seek.”

“Duh!” I exclaimed, cocking a hip.  I was so aggravated I halfway expected to see smoke pouring out of my ears.  “It’s not like I could get you confused with someone else.  There’s only one of you in the Imperial Navy!”

His eyes narrowed at me, and I swear the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees.  “You are about to be taken in for interrogation.  You may want to reconsider your attitude.”  I subsided, chilled to my core.  He turned to the stormtroopers holding me.  “Take her away.”

“Yes, sir.”

As we left the room, I heard him instructing another trooper to bring my bag along to be searched.  I forced myself to breathe deeply and calm down.  _I’m here.  That was the hardest part.  Now all I have to do is convince him.  It’ll be fine._

\------ 

I had no idea how long I’d been sitting in my cramped cell, but it must have been several hours at least.  Everything had been taken away from me, even my clothes, and I was wearing a dull grey jumpsuit that was a couple sizes too large for me.

Finally, my door slid open.  I was taken a short distance to a small room that looked a lot like a police interrogation room.  It had a heavy metal table with a chair at each end, all bolted to the floor.  There was no window with one-way glass, but I saw something that had to be some kind of camera in the corner as I sat down.  Two of the guards stayed at the door, and after a few minutes a pair of men entered the room.  One sat down across from me, and the other stood behind him.

“Here’s the deal,” said the seated man.  “None of the details you gave us while checking in are matching up with our databases.  Do you have an ID?”

“Yes,” I said patiently, “but you’re not gonna be able to read it any more than I can read your writing.”

“See, now, there’s another problem.”  He gave me a distinctly unpleasant smile.  “If you’d come through customs, even if you were from outside the Empire, they would’ve given you a temporary ID along with your visa.”

“I didn’t come through customs,” I said, my stomach clenching in worry.  “I came through a portal.  Pretty sure those aren’t regulated.  I don’t even know what planet I’m on right now.”

He looked a bit surprised at that.  “You took some portal and you didn’t even know where it would take you?”

“The technology is not that precise,” I lied.  “Just traveling to the correct galaxy is impressive enough, I should think.”

He sat back, rubbing his chin.  “Are you sure there isn’t any part of your story you’d like to change?  When we find out the truth, it will not be pleasant for you.”

I sighed, squashing my anger with an effort.  “I don’t know what to tell you.  I’m telling the truth.”

He stared at me for several seconds, as though he could look through my eyes and into my brain if he stared hard enough.  I held his gaze, refusing to back down.

Finally he stood and left the room without another word, his crony following him.  I was escorted back to my cell.

\------ 

The next time I was taken out, I got to see a refresher for the first time.  Of course, since no author ever bothered to describe how it worked, I had to get help.  And apparently there wasn’t a single woman working for the people who were guarding me, so it was super awkward.

After that we went back to the interrogation room, or one just like it at any rate.  This time there was just one man, already waiting for me with a tray of food.

“I managed to get them to feed you,” he said, sliding the tray to me.  I was starving, and, figuring I was entirely at the mercy of my captors, decided to go ahead and eat.

 _So this is the good cop,_ I thought wryly, studying him as I ate.  He had a handsome, friendly face and a charismatic bearing.  It was pretty obvious why he’d been chosen to play the part.

“I’m trying to do more for you,” he said, giving me a sympathetic look, “but everyone else thinks you’re lying.  You have to admit,” he said with a lopsided grin that reminded me powerfully of Han Solo, “it is a pretty incredible story.”

 _I wonder if he’s Corellian,_ I thought, eating as fast as I could.  Something told me that I might not be getting anything else to eat for a while.  I wasn’t saying a damn thing until the food was gone.  It wasn’t a huge meal, and I’d been hungry, so it didn’t take long for me to polish it off.

“I’m sorry,” I said, pushing the tray toward him.  “I’m telling the truth, believe it or not.”

He shook his head.  “Look, the others are on my back about this.  I don’t know when I’ll be able to convince them to feed you again.  Can’t you give me just a little something I can use to bargain for better treatment?”

 _Damn, he’s good,_ I thought, secretly admiring his talent.  Even though I knew exactly what kind of game he was playing, I still wanted to cooperate with him.  I genuinely felt bad that I didn’t have anything to give him.

“I’m telling the truth.  I’ve been telling the truth all along.  Surely you don’t want me making up a lie for you to report?”

He looked upset at that, wringing his hands.  His concern for me was palpable.  “Elizabeth, I can’t help you unless you help me.”

I shrugged.  Even while pinned against the wall with a blaster to my head, I hadn’t felt this helpless.  He left, shaking his head, and I went back to my cell.


	3. Chapter 3

This time my stay was downright unpleasant.  My cell was freezing cold, and every time I stared to doze off there’d be a loud noise or bright light to wake me up.  At least they let me use the bathroom when I needed to.  I guess none of them wanted to clean up the mess if I didn’t make it.

The guards came for me again, but this time they put me in binders before taking me to the interrogation room.  Once I was seated, they remained standing beside me instead of taking positions by the door.  As I sat wondering why everything was different this time, Thrawn swept into the room.

He wasn’t wearing the white uniform that I was expecting to see, but the olive drab of a regular Imperial officer.  _That’s right,_ I realized.  _His promotion was secret until Zaarin’s little stunt._   I realized I didn’t even know if the secret promotion had happened yet.  _Oh, God, I hope so.  My explanation will be a lot more believable if it’s already happened._

He seated himself across from me, face expressionless, and watched me in silence for a long moment.  Eventually he reached into a pocket and pulled out a small disc.  Setting it down in the center of the table, he pressed a button, and a hologram appeared.

I watched as a roiling dark mass coalesced, identical to the one I’d stepped into, then I popped out of it a few seconds later.  I sprawled on the floor, got up and looked around, took a few steps, and then was pinned to an invisible wall by Thrawn.  There the recording stopped.  Thrawn pocketed the disc again and looked at me.

“What do you want me to say?” I said to fill the silence.  _Man, I’m starting to sound like a broken record._   “I told you the truth.  I came through a portal.  I don’t know exactly where or even when it dropped me.  My mission is to prevent your untimely death.  What more do you want?”

Finally he spoke.  “Everything you know about the technology that creates these portals.  Physical description, the materials used to make the device, power consumption.  More information on this group you’re working for, how it’s organized, where—and when—it’s operating from.  How and where you get your information.”

I looked at him in disbelief.  _Well, this is about to get really bad._   “I’m not at liberty to discuss any of that,” I said, trying to sound officious.  My head hurt from lack of sleep, so I doubt I pulled it off very well.

Looking unconcerned, Thrawn stood.  “Shame, that.  I suppose I’ll have to wait for the results of your narco-interrogation.”

I felt my eyes widen in alarm.  _That doesn’t sound good_.  I took a deep breath and found my cool.  “I must say, I’m surprised you’d opt for a narco-interrogation.  I didn’t think you’d want me telling all your secrets to the interrogators.”

As I’d hoped, that made him pause, turn back toward me.  “What could you possibly know of my secrets?”

I felt my confidence waver under his hard stare but forged ahead anyway.  “I received a thorough briefing on you before coming on this mission.  I know rather more than you’d expect.”  I forced a hard smile onto my lips.  “I know your species, your homeworld, your native language.  I know about your time in the, ah, Expansionary Defense Force, and I know about your exile and later rescue.”

He narrowed his eyes, considering my words.  I suddenly realized that he might just kill me to keep his secrets hidden.  I prayed desperately to anything that might be listening that his curiosity would outweigh his distrust.

Eventually he turned to the guards.  “Hold her here for now.  I will contact you shortly with further instructions.”

 _Well, that wasn’t entirely reassuring,_ I thought as he disappeared through the door.

  


After a long turbolift ride and an even longer walk, my guards finally brought me to a stop in front of a door.  One of them entered a code, and the door slid open to reveal a tiny room, reminiscent of an airlock.  _Am I on a ship?  Oh, God, they’re going to space me!_

But before I could work myself up to a good panic, the guards stepped in beside me.  Another code opened the interior door into a slightly larger room, lightly furnished and big enough to hold maybe ten people without crowding.  Thrawn was waiting inside.

He had the guards secure my handcuffs to a ring set in a metal post sticking up from the ground in the middle of the room.  I looked around as the guards left.  The walls and ceiling had a weird texture, sort of rippling in and out like tall ocean waves.

Thrawn cut off my thoughts.  “We cannot be overheard here,” he said, positioning himself in front of me, far enough away that I could tell he didn’t trust me not to attack him.  “This is your chance to convince me that you are being honest.”  He eyed me, his expression stony.  “Your only chance.”

 _Well, here goes nothing,_ I thought, an edge of hysteria entering my mind.  “You’re a Chiss.  Csilla is your homeworld,” and here I was glad I knew the proper pronunciation for the word.  “Your native language is called Cheunh.  Is that what you were speaking when you let the stormtroopers into your house?”

His eyes began to narrow, and I kept talking hurriedly.  “Never mind, it doesn’t matter.  You were the youngest Chiss to become a commander in the Chiss Expansionary Defense Force.  You study art in order to gain insights into your enemies’ strategies.”  All the while I told him of _Outbound Flight_ , of how he was exiled, then rescued in “Mist Encounter” and so on, he gave no indication that any of this was familiar to him.  But then, he’d claimed not to know who he was when I’d first met him, something I’d since surmised had been a test of some sort, so I kept going, telling of his rapid rise through the ranks of the Imperial Navy.  I stopped before mentioning his promotion to grand admiral, unsure whether it had happened yet or not.

For several seconds the silence stretched out between us.  At last he stirred.  “You said something about my being a grand admiral when we first met.  Care to elaborate on that?”

I licked my lips.  “The problem here is I don’t know exactly when I am.  I’d be happy to give you some insight into the future,” I clarified hastily, “but for purposes of convincing you that I am who I claim to be, a general idea of where I am in the timeline would be helpful.”

“By all means.”  His tone held just a hint of something, sarcasm perhaps.  I chose to ignore it.

“Has there been, um, a battle at Yavin yet?”

He nodded once.

“How long ago?”

“A bit more than two years.”

I breathed in relief.  “Okay, so either you’ve just recently been secretly promoted to grand admiral, or you’re about to.”

For a moment, he didn’t respond, then he said, “About a month ago.”  He sounded thoughtful now, and my heart leaped.  _I can do this!_

“And you studied my background—and future, apparently,” he added dryly, “in order to prevent me from dying at some pivotal moment.”

I nodded, relieved that he was finally accepting the truth.  “Exactly.”

He stepped close to me, tipping my chin up with a gloved finger and staring directly into my eyes.  This was the closest I’d been to him, at least while being aware of it, and my heart began to race with a combination of fear and excitement.  With him mere inches from me, hypnotizing me with his eyes, it was easy to remember why I found him so attractive.

“It seems to me,” he said, his voice pensive, “that the information you’d need to know in order to prevent my death is very similar to that which you’d need to ensure it.  How am I to know—“

My eyes widened in horror and disbelief, a stuttered denial forcing its way out of my mouth, interrupting him.  “What?  No!  I’d never—”  I stopped as my brain caught up with my mouth, pointing out that interrupting a grand admiral was not a healthy life decision.

But he didn’t respond in anger, just gave me a long, probing look.  Finally he said, “I see.”

 _See what?_ I wondered in frustration.  His lips curled into a small smile as he released my chin, and I flushed at the thought that he might have seen how I felt about him.

“I need to go make some arrangements,” he said, turning to leave.  “I will return.”

  


He did come back eventually, but not for several hours.  I had given in and slid down to an awkward kneeling position, the best I could manage with my hands bound behind my back at waist height.  When the door opened I struggled to my feet, stretching my cramped limbs as best I could.

He wasn’t alone; two guards flanked him, one carrying my overnight bag.  He left it on the ground near us when Thrawn dismissed them.

Once the door had closed again, Thrawn spoke.  “Your release paperwork has been finalized.  You now belong to me, and—“

“What?!” I screeched, fury rising and washing away my common sense.  “You mean, like a slave?”

“Yes.”  The cold tone of his voice cut through my anger.  “You have no identification, no way to prove who you are.  And what did you think would be the punishment for coming here illegally?”

“I don’t even know where here is,” I wailed.

“Coruscant,” he said in that same infuriatingly calm voice.  “What’s more, it is vital that my enemies never know the information you have and that they don’t realized your importance.  Think of it as a disguise,” he said coaxingly.

I forced myself to breathe slowly and evenly.  _At this rate, I’m going to need to learn some Jedi calming exercises._

He came close to me, reached toward my neck.  I jerked away in terror as I realized he was putting a collar on me.

“No fucking way,” I vowed, baring my teeth at him.

He put his hands up in surrender.  “As you wish.  Of course, you’ll just be sold at an auction, but if that’s what you prefer…”

I closed my eyes, despair settling over me like a heavy cloak.  “I don’t stand a chance against you, do I?”

I kept my eyes closed as I felt his fingertips brush my skin, the collar fasten down snugly on my throat.  I didn’t open them until he released my wrists from the binders.

“Take your bag,” he said, and I picked it up and followed him.


	4. Chapter 4

Thrawn showed me to his apartment’s guest room and left me to unpack and get settled.  I breathed a sigh of relief that I wouldn’t have to share a room with him.  Two days ago I would have slapped myself for passing up such an opportunity, but now I was scared and furious, and I needed the space.

The chest of drawers was small, but even so my three changes of clothes looked downright pathetic all by their lonesome.  I carefully worked my brush through my tangled hair, grimacing when I glimpsed myself in the mirror.

 _Well, at least I don’t have to worry that he might find me attractive,_ I thought.

Once all my clothes were put away and my toiletries obsessively lined up on top of the dresser, I sat down on the edge of the bed.  I was afraid to leave the room, unsure whether or not I would anger him by wandering around.  _Well, eventually I’m gonna need to find his ‘fresher,_ I thought rebelliously.

My door slid open, framing Thrawn standing just outside it.  “Are you hungry?”

 _Starving!_   “Yes, Master,” I said, leaning hard on the title in sarcasm.  His eyes glowed a bit brighter for a second, but he made no response to my bad attitude.

“There is food ready.  You are invited to come eat.”

He turned and left, and I cursed my stubbornness, jumping up to follow him so I wouldn’t have to wander around trying to find the kitchen.

The food was already on two trays, or maybe they were rectangular plates.  He silently handed one to me, then seated himself at the room’s small table.  There was silverware already waiting on the table, so I gave in and sat across from him.

We ate in silence.  On my side, it was a stony, resentful silence; I don’t know how he felt.  He certainly didn’t seem perturbed in the least by my silent brooding.

After our food was gone, he rose and began taking care of the dishes.  I was too exhausted and dispirited to pay attention to what exactly he was doing.  I was considering just falling asleep there in the chair when he finished with the dishes and came to stand in front of me.

I blinked a couple of times to work some moisture into my eyes before looking up at him.

“I am not your enemy, Elizabeth,” he said quietly.

“Sure thing, Master,” I said, keeping my tone bland.  _No attitude here. No sirree._

His expression hardened.  “I am being lenient with you because you’ve had a difficult day.  Throw your little temper tantrum tonight, but be certain to get it out of your system.  I will not tolerate it tomorrow.”

Again, just his words and tone were enough to leave me chilled.  I nodded, a bit jerkily.  “Um, where’s your bathroom?  ‘Fresher, I mean?”

“This way,” he said, leading me to it.  I used it quickly and returned to my room, barely summoning the energy to put on my pajamas before collapsing into the deepest sleep of my life.

 

 

At first I thought my dad was shaking me awake.  _But why is he calling me by my full name?  Am I in trouble?_

I was, as it just so happened.  This wasn’t home, and the man shaking me awake was the most dangerous one I had ever met.

“I’m awake,” I mumbled, rolling to the edge of the bed and sitting up.  I wondered perversely what he thought of my Rainbow Dash pajamas.  _Analyze that, asshole._

He frowned, and I panicked for a moment, fearing I’d spoken that last thought out loud, but apparently it was just the sight of me, or maybe my pj’s, because he didn’t comment.

“Breakfast is ready.  There’s no need for you to get dressed first; I’m sure you’re still catching up on missed sleep.”

I detoured to the ‘fresher and splashed water on my face before joining him in the kitchen.  Breakfast was as quiet as dinner had been, but this time it was just because I was still half-asleep.  When he took his dishes away, I followed him and watched as he showed me how to use the sanitizer.

After that was done he brought me over to a panel set on the wall.  The press of a button caused a small door to slide back.

“This is the cold storage unit.  I have your lunch ready right here.”  He pointed it out.  “It does not need to be heated before you eat it.  I will return in the late afternoon or early evening.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled, feeling bad that he’d been up early making me food while I slept in.  “Um, what should I do today?”

He looked at me in surprise.  “Sleep.  I’ll have you busy soon enough; enjoy a day of rest.  Don’t go in my bedroom, and don’t touch my artwork.  Here’s the comm station,” he said, leading me to a desk in another room that had some futuristic computer-thing built into it.  “Don’t answer it or try to use it unless there is an emergency.  If there is an emergency, press this button.”  He gave me a pointed look.  “When I say ‘emergency,’ I mean the building is on fire or collapsing, or someone has broken in.”

 _Got it.  No trivialities._   I nodded my understanding, and he left.  I took his advice and went back to bed.  The next time I woke up I was feeling much better.  I had no way to tell the time, but I was pretty hungry again, so I figured it had been at least four hours.  I ate the food he’d left me, then went wandering through the apartment, intending to familiarize myself with its layout and hoping that I’d know his bedroom when I saw it.

There was a closed door on the far side of the ‘fresher from where my room was; I figured that was most likely his room and left it alone.  It was a fairly small apartment, at least by Earth’s standards, and I soon found myself back in the sitting room where I’d first entered this galaxy.

Again, I was drawn to the odd painting on the wall.  I stood in front of it, studying it in detail.  I wondered why Thrawn had it here.  I also wondered what he would think of my fascination with it.

With nothing else to do, I ended up strolling through his apartment, studying his artwork like it would give me some insight into his character.  Tragically, I didn’t suddenly manifest the ability to understand someone through their art the way he could.

I had been reduced to humming and singing snatches of music out of boredom by the time I heard him come home.  It turned out that the sitting room had a large window that had been covered before, and I was sitting on the couch and looking at the sprawling cityscape when he found me.

“You look thoroughly bored,” he observed.

I smiled wanly.  “There are worse fates.  One culture on my homeworld says ‘May you live in interesting times’ as a curse.”

His eyebrows lifted.  “Sounds like a fascinating people.”  I shrugged.  “Well, you’ll be pleased, or not, to know that I have some activities planned for your future.”

“Dare I ask what it is?” I said, looking up at him.

“Nothing so terrible,” he said with a smile.  “I think it would be advantageous for you to learn how to read and write Basic.”

I scowled.  _Great.  I would end up with school on my summer vacation._

“You are displeased,” he commented.

I sighed deeply.  “It’s…I only just finished my studies.  I had hoped that this would be something of a vacation.”

He sat down on the far side of the couch.  “Life so rarely works out the way we like.”

The pensive look on his face drew me out of my selfish thoughts.  _He would understand that far better than I do.  God, exiled to an uninhabited planet!  I don’t know if I’d starve or go crazy from loneliness first._   Remembering all he’d been through in his life humbled me a bit, and helped to dispel the lingering anger I felt about him casually claiming me as a possession.

_It’s not like he can actually keep me as a slave, anyway.  Sooner or later my ticket home will show up, and there’s nothing he can do to prevent that._

At some point during my introspection he had turned to study me.  “It is a bit odd to be able to speak freely with someone else,” he said, tone still thoughtful.

“I kinda thought you’d hate the idea of someone knowing so much about you.”

He smiled.  “I won’t deny that that it is a bit annoying—I rather enjoy cultivating an aura of mystery—but at the same time it is liberating.”

I looked more closely at him.  He actually seemed relaxed for once, for the first time I would have described him that way.  Oh, his posture was still upright, but the constant, conscious effort to be perfect had been set aside.

The moment lasted for only a few heartbeats, and then he was up and off, busy with goodness knew what, and I was left curled on the couch, feeling useless.

 

 

When I woke up the next morning, I was a little surprised to find that Thrawn had apparently let me sleep in.  I started to search for him, but got sidetracked when I found breakfast sitting out, some kind of unfamiliar pastries and fruit.  Shortly after I began eating, he came to find me.

“No work today?” I queried in between bites.

He had that analyzing look on his face.  “Today is Primeday.”

“That doesn’t mean anything to me,” I said, trying not to sound irritable.  I was generally cranky first thing after waking up, and today was no exception.

Apparently, he’d been testing how much I’d studied about this galaxy before coming here.  “It’s generally held as a day of rest.  I gather there was originally some religious significance to it, but it’s been lost to time.  Most beings, however, function better if they take a break every now and then.  It gives them something to look forward to, to work toward.  As such, it has outlasted its origins.”

“Only one day?” I asked, making a face.  “We have two.”

“Out of how many per cycle?  One in five seems quite reasonable to me.”

 _Ah, that makes more sense._   “Seven for us.”  I tried a piece of fruit I hadn’t had yet, found it quite good.  “So, what do you do on a day off?  I’m honestly surprised you understand the concept.”

“I do pursue leisure activities, you realize.  Sometimes they aren’t even tangentially related to my work.”

 _That was a joke,_ I realized, and smiled.  “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“At any rate, I’m afraid leisure isn’t on the schedule for today.  Once you finish eating, we’ll be headed back to the silent room to further discuss your purpose here.”

I nodded, mouth full, and he left the dining room.  A few minutes later, we were in his airspeeder, headed toward the Imperial Palace.  The last time I’d been in the airspeeder it had been dark and I’d been in no state to enjoy it.  Now I gaped openly at the massive skyscrapers around and below us.

The Imperial Palace was more impressive than I’d imagined, a sprawling, vaguely pyramidal structure bigger than some small cities I’d seen.  Thrawn made no comment on my obvious awe, steering us to a garage at the bottom of the massive building complex.

I followed him through long and winding passages and into what looked like the same room we’d spoken in before.  Fortunately, this time he felt no need to chain me to the post, though being there again made me acutely aware of the collar around my neck.  _How on Earth did I manage to forget about that?_

We sat down at a pair of chairs bracketing a narrow table, and Thrawn got out an actual notebook and pen.

He noticed my interest and explained.  “I don’t intend to commit any of this information to a digital format that could be easily accessed and copied.  Your time here is limited, and I intend to wring all the information I can out of you.” A small smile softened the words.  “But I feel it would be unwise to rely solely on my memory.  Here,” he tapped the notebook with the pen “I can write it in my native language, which almost no one in the Empire understands.  Not to mention,” he added, “I have my own personal shorthand.”

“Sounds like you have things well planned out.”

“As always,” he said, his confidence absolute.  “Feel no qualms in speaking freely; none will have access to this information save myself.  Now, let us begin.  Perhaps with my death?”

I nodded and folded my hands on the table, organizing my thoughts.  “It’s currently set to happen about seven years from now, at a place called Bilbringi.  Have you heard of the Noghri before?”

He shook his head, and I began to explain how Darth Vader found their world poisoned and dying, and how he hatched a plot to keep them reliant on him.


	5. Chapter 5

I handed the encrypted datacard to Grand Admiral Declann, falling into a military stance as he entered his personal encryption and read its contents.  The corners of his mouth turned downward, and I mentally braced myself.

“You tell that freak you call master that he’s a bold sonofanek.”  He caught my eye over the edge of the datacard.  “I mean it, girl.  Those exact words.”

“Yes, my lord,” I said, intending to do no such thing.  “Does that mean you are in agreement, then?”

He grimaced, silent for several seconds.  “It means I’ll consider it,” he finally said.  “Go on, get out of here.”

He turned away, seemingly deep in thought, and I beat feet back to Thrawn’s office.  His inner door was closed, so I sat down to wait.

A few minutes later, someone in fancy robes left his office, and I poked my head in after him.  Thrawn gestured for me to enter, and I did so, closing the door after me.

“You delivered it to him directly?” he inquired.

I nodded.  “He called you a few names and said he’d think about it.”

Thrawn gave a confident smile at that.  “Excellent.  His pride prevents him from agreeing immediately, but he’ll see the logic of it after a bit of consideration.”

I nodded dutifully.  “Was there anything else you needed me to do?”

“Not at the moment.”  I turned to go, but apparently he had something else to say.  “The arrangements to complete your mission are in place.  I will be meeting the _Admonitor_ in four days, and then it’s just a matter of waiting until the right opportunity presents itself.”

I nodded again, more slowly this time.  “Once my mission has been accomplished, I expect it won’t be long until my ride home arrives.”

He watched me, considering my words.  “You want a chance to say goodbye,” he said softly.

I felt my face redden, tried to keep my cool.  “It’s not really necessary.  I’ll know it’s a success when the portal appears.”

He leaned forward to rest his elbows on the desk.  “Yet that would not be your preference.  I greatly appreciate the information you’ve given me, especially in regards to the Yuuzhan Vong.”  He seemed to come to a decision.  “You will accompany me to the _Admonitor._   I assume there will be no trouble in leaving from a different location than where you entered?”

“Shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Good.  That’s all for now, then.”

 

 

Three days later, I set about packing my bag for my return to reality.  I was in a melancholic mood; even though I knew I couldn’t stay here forever, I didn’t want to go back to the crushing normalcy of my life.

Fortunately, the only part of packing that was difficult was the emotional part.  Aside from clothing, I had acquired very little during my time here.  There was a delicate hair clip Thrawn had bought me; this I wrapped in a shirt and placed carefully in the center of my bag, surrounded by clothing.  A small figurine that had caught my eye in a market got the same treatment.

I looked through the clothes he’d bought for me to wear, finally selecting a pants and tunic set in black, grey, and burgundy to bring home as well.  Most of my toiletries were used up, but even so it was a tight squeeze getting everything in.

And that was that.  I looked at the backpack that represented this latest episode of my life, and thought that it didn’t seem nearly large enough.

There was a knock at my door.  “Come in.”

Thrawn entered and wordlessly handed me a glass.  I looked at the liquid, a clearish gold that I didn’t recognize.  I took a cautious sip, my eyes flying open in shock as I realized it was something alcoholic.  _Wine, maybe?_

I looked up at Thrawn, saw he was holding a matching glass with more of the same drink.

“Um, I’m too young to drink alcohol,” I said, embarrassed.

He raised an eyebrow at that.  “What a strange custom.”  He gave me a secretive smile.  “I promise not to tell your parents.”

I had to laugh at that, and after pondering the liquid for a moment, I ventured another sip.

“Come, Ellie,” he said.  “Be morose with me instead of alone in your room.”

I shook my head, smiling.  “With an invitation like that, how can I refuse?”  I rose and followed him out of my room.

 

 

“I don’t have a headache,” I commented as Thrawn seated himself in the pilot seat of the small shuttle.

He spared me a glance as he began working the bewildering panel in front of him.  “You expected to?”

I shrugged, feeling hopelessly ignorant.  “Well, yeah.  I thought that was what happened if you got drunk.”

He smiled, almost serenely.  “I didn’t let you drink enough to make yourself ill.  What’s more, you recall my insistence that you drink a glass of water before sleeping?”

I nodded.  “I remember.”

“The headache that accompanies excessive drinking typically comes from dehydration.  It is a simple thing to remedy.  And, as in all things, moderation is the key.”

He contacted flight control, got permission to depart, and I watched as we made for the sky.  A few minutes later, he took us into hyperspace.

He rose, heading back into the main part of the shuttle, but I stayed for a moment to watch the hypnotic patterns of hyperspace.  This was the first time since my arrival that I’d left Coruscant, and I found it all very new and exciting.

I started at a soft touch on my throat.

“Be still,” Thrawn admonished me.

A few seconds later, I heard him walk away, and I raised my hand to my neck to find the collar gone.  Thrawn returned, reseating himself in the pilot’s seat with a datapad.

At my questioning look he explained.  “The crew of the _Admonitor_ is loyal.  There is no need to continue the charade.”

“Thank you,” I said, the words wholly inadequate to express how much it meant to me.

He nodded absently, already absorbed in his work.

 

 

There was a firm knock at the door of my suite, and I went eagerly to answer it.  Thrawn had left a couple of days ago on his mission, and I was nearly crazy from boredom.

Captain Niriz was standing stiffly outside my door when it opened.  “Good evening, ma’am,” he said.  “The admiral left me instructions for his return.  If you’ll come with me…?”

“He’s back?” I asked, breathless with excitement and relief.

“He’s being tractored into the hangar as we speak.”

“I’ll be right back,” I called, running to grab my backpack.  As I followed the captain through the star destroyer’s uniform hallways, I said, “You really don’t need to call me ‘ma’am.’  I’m not anyone important.”

He glanced at me as we walked.  “Is that so?  The grand admiral does not seem to agree with that assessment.”

I felt my face warm.  “I’m just the messenger.”

He didn’t say anything further, but I didn’t get the feeling I’d convinced him to stop ma’am-ing me.  Eventually he brought me to a small room that looked like an office.

“He has requested for you to await him here.”

“Thank you, Captain.  I’ll do that.”

He left, and I sat down to wait.  Maybe fifteen minutes later a familiar roiling cloud sprung from thin air.  I swallowed hard as I looked at it, sliding my pack onto my shoulders.  _Thrawn said to wait for him…_   I resolved to wait and watch the portal very closely for any sign of it shrinking.  If it did…well, I’d worry about that if it happened.

It had made no change other than to continue its internal agitation when Thrawn finally arrived.  The sight of him caught me by surprise; since his return to the _Admonitor_ he had begun wearing the white uniform that he rated as a grand admiral but couldn’t wear on Coruscant due to the secrecy of his promotion.

But he wasn’t wearing that now.  He had on a green suit of armor that looked a lot like Boba Fett’s, though he wasn’t wearing the helmet or gloves.  His eyes flickered to the portal as he entered, then found me.

“I’m glad you haven’t left yet,” he said, coming toward me.  “Congratulations on your first successful mission.”

“Thanks,” I said, moving to meet him near the portal.  I felt conflicted, feelings of triumph at saving his life warring with the bittersweet knowledge that this was farewell for us.

I stopped in front of him, not sure what to say, but before I could speak he took a step forward into my personal space.  One arm curved around my back to draw me close; the other cradled my head, turning it up to face him.  My heart rate soared as he bent and kissed me.

My arms came up instinctively to wrap around his neck and I returned the kiss, a bit clumsily.  _God, he’s good at this,_ I thought dimly, suddenly wishing I had a little more practice with this sort of thing.

All too soon the kiss ended, and he searched my face.  A brilliant smile curved his lips, shattering my heart, and he spoke softly.

“Be well, Ellie.”

“You too,” I whispered, not trusting my voice, and he released me.  I took a deep breath and stepped into the portal, looking back at him for one last memory as I did.


	6. Chapter 6

When I fell through the other side of the portal, I just lay on the carpet for a few seconds, fighting tears.

“Oh, God!  Ellie, are you okay?”

I started when I heard Carly’s voice.  Looking up, I reassured her.  “I’m fine.  I’m just a bit dizzy from coming through the portal.”

She helped me up and gave me a huge hug.  “Oh, I’m so glad you’re back in one piece!”  She held me at arm’s length and scrutinized me.  “Are you sure you’re alright?  You look a bit teary.”

I forced a smile.  “Saying goodbye was hard, that’s all.  I’m glad to see you too.”

“So,” she grinned, “did you save him?  You have to tell me everything.  You promised!”

Finally my smile felt real.  “Come on,” I said, dragging her over to sit on the bed beside me.  “It’s a long story.  Get comfortable.”

 

 

It turned out I still had a few weeks of my summer vacation left, so I spent them with Carly and her family.  I returned home with no one but Carly aware that I’d been gone and began getting ready for my senior year of high school.

I unpacked my untouched suitcase, then my backpack.  Pulling out the souvenirs of my trip, I began to get sentimental.  I made a place on my dresser for the figurine, cradled the hair clip in my hands and then put it into my hair.

I went to my bookshelf and grabbed my copy of _Heir to the Empire.  I have to see,_ I thought.  _I have to know if the changes show up._

Only a few pages in, it was clear that things were going to be different.  I grinned in excitement as Pellaeon encountered a Noghri working as Thrawn’s bodyguard.

_Take that, Leia!_ I crowed mentally.  _Can’t send your death commandos after Thrawn if they’re working for him!_   It was obvious that, with Darth Vader no longer in charge of the death commandos, he hadn’t been able to pass them on to his children.

I turned into a recluse, speed-reading my way through the trilogy.  And finally I got to the battle at Bilbringi.

Horror gripped my heart as I neared the end of _The Last Command._   And when I read about Rukh’s betrayal, tears began rolling silently down my cheeks.

“No,” I sobbed.  “That’s not what was supposed to happen!”  I had stopped the Rebels from sending Noghri assassins only to put the assassin at his back.

I threw the book across the room and fell onto my bed, stricken to my core.  I could picture him perfectly in my mind, how he looked in his gleaming white uniform, sitting in his command chair.  And I could well imagine how it would look as the blood blossomed across his chest.

And I swear I could feel his eyes on me, see the bitter smile that twisted his lips as he whispered, “But, it was so artistically done.”

As he bitterly regretted trusting me.


End file.
